Drinking straw

ABSTRACT

A drinking straw for consuming two or three beverages simultaneously has a main body and three inlets in liquid communication with the main body. Each inlet is inserted into an isolated beverage compartment in a bottle or a separate glass. A cap is provided to close off one of the three inlets in order to consume only two rather than three beverages simultaneously.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of drinking straws, and more particularly to the field of drinking straws that allow to simultaneously consume two or three separate beverages from a bottle comprising isolated beverage compartments or from separate glasses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A number of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are enjoyed when mixed together. For example, a grapefruit shandy is beer mixed with grapefruit juice and simple syrup. A Vesper Martini combines Lillet, vodka and gin. Mimosa is Champagne mixed with orange juice. Examples of beverages comprising two or three ingredients are numerous.

A novel way to drink such beverages is without pre mixing them either in a glass or bottle, such that numerous beverages hit the palate simultaneously. This creates a unique taste sensation that cannot be matched by consuming pre mixed beverages. Many consumers may find drinking beverages in this fashion superior to the conventional way of drinking. To accomplish drinking beverages in this fashion, a consumer may utilize a bottle with two or three isolated beverage compartments containing the ingredients or use separate glasses for the same purpose.

What is needed, therefore, is a drinking straw that allows to simultaneously consume two or three separate beverages from a bottle comprising isolated beverage compartments or from separate glasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention satisfies this need. The drinking straw according to this invention comprises a main body and three inlets in liquid communication, such that each inlet is adapted to be inserted into either one of two or three isolated beverage compartments in a bottle or to one of two or three separate glasses. A cap is provided to close off one of the three inlets in order to consume only two beverages simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a drinking straw according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 shows top and bottom views of the drinking straw according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 shows the drinking straw according to the preferred embodiment of this invention used with a bottle with three isolated beverage compartments.

FIG. 4 shows the drinking straw according to the preferred embodiment of this invention used with a two separate glasses and a cap to close off one of the three inlets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

This invention will be better understood with the reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4. The same numerals indicate the same elements in all drawing figures.

Viewing, simultaneously, FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, numeral 10 indicates a main body. Main body 10 comprises a generally cylindrical elongated tube having a sidewall defining a first internal bore indicated by numeral 10 a.

Numeral 20 indicates an interconnect portion. Interconnect portion 20 is connected to main body 10 on its upper side. Numeral 30 indicates an inlet. Three inlets 30 are provided. Each inlet 30 comprises a generally cylindrical elongated tube having a sidewall defining a second internal bore indicated by numeral 30 a. Each inlet 30 comprises a first end indicated by numeral 30 b and a second end indicated by numeral 30 c. First end 30 b is disposed on interconnect 20 on its lower side. Second end 30 c is adapted for inserting into one of the isolated beverage containers, such as a bottle with separate beverage compartments or separate glasses. Second end 30 c is in fluid communication with main body 10 thus permitting the user to consume several beverages simultaneously by sucking on main body 10, while second ends 30 c are inserted into separate beverage compartments or separate glasses containing beverages.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, first internal bore 10 a is substantially three times larger than second internal bore 30 a. This allows the user to comfortably consume three different beverages simultaneously by sucking on main body 10 without exerting excessive pressure.

Numeral 40 indicates a flexible portion. Flexible portion 40 is disposed on each inlet 30 near interconnect 20. Flexible portion 40 is adapted for being flexed without substantial springback for positioning each inlet 30 to fit into one of the isolated beverage containers.

Numeral 50 indicates a removable cap. Removable cap 50 is adapted to fit snugly on second end 30 c such that fluid communication between second end 30 c and main body 10 is prevented. This allows the user to consume two rather than three beverages simultaneously.

While the present invention has been described and defined by reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention, such reference does not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled and knowledgeable in the pertinent arts. The depicted and described preferred embodiment of the invention is exemplary only, and is not exhaustive of the scope of the invention. Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects. 

I claim:
 1. A drinking straw for simultaneously consuming several beverages from isolated beverage containers comprising: a main body comprising a generally cylindrical elongated tube having a sidewall defining a first internal bore; an interconnect portion connected to the main body; three inlets, each of the inlets comprising a generally cylindrical elongated tube having a sidewall defining a second internal bore and comprising a first end and a second end, the first end disposed on the interconnect portion, the second end adapted for inserting into one of the isolated beverage containers, the second end in fluid communication with the main body.
 2. A drinking straw as in claim 1, wherein the first internal bore is substantially three times larger than the second internal bore.
 3. A drinking straw as in claim 2, further comprising a flexible portion disposed on each inlet near the interconnect portion adapted for being flexed without substantial springback for positioning each inlet to fit into one of the isolated beverage containers.
 4. A drinking straw as in claim 3, further comprising a removable cap adapted to fit snugly on the second end such that fluid communication between the second end and the main body is prevented. 